Closson Chase

About Closson Chase

Until the 1990s, Prince Edward County was best known as an agricultural region focused on fruit and vegetable production. Closson Chase began as a bold idea when a group of wine industry pioneers recognized the County’s potential for cool-climate viticulture.
After two years of detailed soil analysis, celebrated winemaker Deborah Paskus selected a site at the intersection of Closson and Chase Roads in Hillier Township. The former dairy farm, owned by early County settlers the Closson family, sits approximately five kilometres inshore from Lake Ontario on a six-degree south-facing slope. With excellent drainage and gravelly calcareous soils over limestone, the site proved ideally suited to cool-climate chardonnay and pinot noir.

Closson Chase Vineyards was established in 1998, with the first commercial vintage produced in 2004 from a restored century-old dairy barn. From the outset, the winery played a defining role in the emergence of Prince Edward County as a premium wine region.
In 2015, after more than a decade working alongside Deborah Paskus, Keith Tyers assumed the role of Head Winemaker. Under his leadership, Closson Chase has continued to refine its focus on vineyard-driven wines that express vintage, site, and season.
Firmly believing that exceptional wine is made in the vineyard, Keith has maintained the estate’s traditions of high-density planting, careful canopy management, low yields, and hands-on vine care, including burying canes and dormant-season pruning. These practices, paired with a growing commitment to sustainability, allow Closson Chase wines to deliver a pure and honest expression of place.

Representative Biography

Keith Tyers, Winemaker

Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, Keith Tyers brings a deep-rooted hospitality and wine background to Closson Chase. After more than a decade working in the food and hospitality industry and completing his Sommelier training, Keith relocated to Prince Edward County in 2003, drawn by the opportunity to work directly with grapevines and land.
Keith joined Closson Chase during the estate’s earliest years, working his first season as a vineyard labourer and becoming deeply involved in both viticulture and winemaking. In 2004, he completed his first harvest and began working closely with Deborah Paskus as Assistant Winemaker, gaining hands-on experience in a region still defining its identity.

After stepping away briefly to broaden his experience, including working alongside Ron Sparanzini at Oak Heights and consulting with County growers, Keith returned to Closson Chase in 2012. He was appointed Head Winemaker in 2015.
Years spent working in the vineyards have given Keith an intimate understanding of the soils, microclimates, and growing conditions across the estate’s three vineyard sites. His goal is simple and unwavering: to translate that understanding into wines that reflect their origin, from grapevine to glass.
“My hope is that when someone opens a bottle of Closson Chase wine, they experience the uniqueness of the wine and my interpretation of our place.” — Keith Tyers

Why We're Cool

Prince Edward County offers some of the most compelling conditions in Ontario for growing Vitis vinifera. Closson Chase’s early decision to focus on chardonnay and pinot noir reflects a deep understanding of the site’s natural advantages.
The Hillier clay loam soils at Closson Chase are well to moderately draining, with a shallow topsoil layer of organic matter and fractured limestone rubble over solid limestone bedrock. This structure encourages deep root penetration while retaining moisture at depth, promoting balanced vine growth.
The calcareous nature of the soil, formed from millennia of marine deposits, results in a naturally high pH of approximately 7.9 to 8.1. These conditions support vine health and contribute to the precision, structure, and minerality found in Closson Chase wines. The pale limestone rubble also reflects sunlight into the canopy, supporting even ripening and fruit development.
Prince Edward County’s climate is heavily moderated by Lake Ontario, creating a long, gradual growing season despite its northerly latitude. Closson Chase benefits from an early spring warm-up due to its south-facing slope, combined with good airflow and drainage. While spring frost risk exists, the site reliably achieves full ripening before the cooler autumn sets in.
Chardonnay and pinot noir, both early bud-breaking and early ripening varieties, are ideally suited to these conditions. The combination of soil, climate, slope, and varietal choice allows Closson Chase to consistently produce wines of balance, tension, and longevity that reflect their cool-climate origins.